Key Takeaways:
- Teach boys to be gentlemen by showing respect and care for women in everyday actions.
- Women are complex, but giving them love and full attention strengthens relationships.
- Ending abuse in relationships would be the most meaningful change for women.
- The best advice received: always listen to your wife—she offers valuable perspective.
- Supporting gender equality means men actively advocating for and respecting women.
For the last Q&A in our series #celebratingwomen in the month of August, Atterbury Leasing Manager Johan Roets took up the challenge and shared some of his thoughts with us. #he4she #realmensupportwomen
What advice would you give to parents of sons about teaching boys to value, respect and protect girls and women?
Teach a boy to be a gentleman. I would love to see my son grow up to always treat girls and women with respect – opening the door for his mom, carrying the parcels… doing the small things that show care and consideration.
As a man, what is the one thing you wish you understood better about women?
It is optimistic to think that if you knew one thing it would help you, because we’d all agree that women are more complex than men – at least that’s my observation! What I do think is that if you love your wife and give her your full attention when you’re with her, half the battle is won!
If you could change anything for a particular woman or group of women anywhere, what would it be?
I would change the situation for women in abusive relationships; stopping all physical, verbal and emotional abuse in marriages and relationships.
What is the best piece of advice you ever got from a woman?
My wife said to me that I should always listen to her, which I believe is sound advice… When I have my head down, running along, she often has a bird’s eye view of things and it does help to just stop, and listen to her!
